Alyson’s Bio

• At the Lima 2019 Pan American Games, Ackman returned to the national team for the first time since 2015. She was a member of the 4×200-m freestyle and 4×100-m freestyle relays that brought home silver and bronze. Individually, Ackman earned bronze in the 400-m freestyle.
• At the 2019 Canadian Swimming Trials, Ackman finished fourth and fifth in the 400-m and 200-m freestyle to qualify for the 2019 Pan American Games. She swam personal bests in both events during the prelims.
• At the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games, Ackman contributed to two relay medals. She swam in the 4×200-m freestyle relay where she won bronze with teammates Emily Overholt, Katerine Savard and Brittany MacLean, and also swam the morning heat of the 4×100-m freestyle relay, which upset the Americans in the final later that day to win gold.
• At the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan Russia, Ackman swam the second leg of the 4×200-m freestyle relay, which finished 11th.
• Alyson Ackman moved out of her home at 15 years of age to train at the Pointe-Claire Swim Club, and has achieved great success through perseverance and determination.
• She finished fourth in the 200-m freestyle and fifth in the 100-m freestyle at Team Canada Trials.
• In 2014, she beat the 200-yard freestyle Big Ten record and attaining First Team All-America status at the NCAA Women’s Division I Championships
• Earned her first senior national team spot with third- place finishes in the 100-m and 200-m freestyle for berths on the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific squads.
• She was part of Canada’s 4×200-m freestyle relays that reached the podium at both events. She also notched an individual sixth place in the 100-m freestyle at the Games.
• Ackman made it into the final of the 200-m freestyle at 2012 Olympic Trials
• At World Championships Trials in 2011, two days before she was set to compete, the swimmer next to her fly-kicked her shoulder during her warm up and dislocated it
• Ackman, whose goal is to make the 2016 Olympic team, says her recent success has opened her eyes that she can compete at the highest level.
• In her words: “It’s not always about success, it’s about the experience.”
• Walks and feeds shelter dogs for PAWS.

Quick Facts

• Twitter: @ackattack1221
• Instagram: @alyackattack
• Favourite movie: Harry Potter
• Favourite TV show: Game of Thrones
• Favourite Actor: Helena Bonham Carter
• Favourite restaurant: Olive Garden
• Pre-race meal: Pasta the nightbefore…carbs for lunch
• Other sports: volleyball
• Guilty pleasure: Chocolate